The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-10-12
FULTON ON HIS STEAMBOAT.


FULTON ON HIS STEAMBOAT.
A Letter Written by Him While he was
Making His Great Invention.
Hartford Times.
Among q number of old documents
lately rescued by Mr.. Lent @. Merriam, of
this city, from a New York ''old Junk"
shop, where they were destined to go to
the paper makers were a Let of papers
from the Livingston family. Fulton had
the encouragement and assistance OF Robert
r. Livingston, who in Jefferson's day was
United States Minister to France, and later
he married LiviDgston's niece. These pa
pers included many family documents,
and also this letter of November, 1905,
written, evidently, by Fulton, although
the histories and cyclopedias would seem
to place Fulton abroad in that year, and
TO get him back to his own country not
sooner than 1896. But the handwriting is
said by State Librarian Hoadly and DR.. J.
Hammond Trumble to be Identical with
that one of Fulton's undisputed letters,
written in Paris in 1902, and which these
gentlemen have compared with the writing
in this letter, finding it to be the same.
Besides, the subject matter OF the letter
shows ii to be Fulton's. Here it is, printed
from the first and interlined, amended,
and unsigned draught, of which the writer,
according to the custom, no do7bt made a
fairer and incorrected copy to send to his
friend:
HoBoKEN, November 16 1906.
Dear Sir: have received your favor of
the 9Th inst, communicating an outline
of Mr.. Weeden's CONTINUANCE for propeIling
boats. The attention you have manifested
on this occasion merits my Warmest &C.
acknowledgements, as it evinces the interest
you feel in the success Of my project. But
although i am persuaded 1 should derive
no advantage from Mr.. Weeden's contri.
vance, yet shall ever preserve a due esti-
nation of your kind intentions.
With the surprising effects OF the Chinese
scull have long been acquainted-and it
is now five or six years ago that made an
attempt TO apply steam engine, the con-
struction Of which was admirably adapted
to the purpose, to working system of
SOULS attached to the stern OF boat-but
failed OF success from the ineficiency
of the power of the engine employed,
owing principally to the imperfection of
the boiler. But, my dear sir, am fully
Satisfied, both from theory and practice,
and that my present mode of applying the
power of steam engine to proPelling
boats is in various respects preferable to
any possible adaptation to this purpose of
the scull with an alternate movement. You
may recollect the description gsve you
when first had the pleasure of seeing you
at Hoboken. To the extremity Of an axis
passing nearly in a horizontal direction
through the stern of the boat is fixed
number of arms with wings like those of O
windmill or smoke ack. These arms are
made capable of ready adj ustment, so that
the most advantageous obliquity of
this angle may be attained after few
trials. The principle of an oblique
stroke is the same hero as in the scuN, but
the continuity of movement in the wings
civ ho u % too a
alienation in the SOULS both in the loss OF
time and the resistance of the fluid ia the
change of motion; besides that, this change
of motion must give to the boat a wrig-
Cling movement, and it has also te0-
dsncy to elevate and depress the stern of
the boat. The sculls would also be liable
to be affected by theswells in rough water,
and, like the paddles | have had some
thoughts of using, would be an awkward
appendage to the stern of the boat. The
consideration which determined nae when
j saw you last, to make trial OF the pad
dies, was merely to. avoid the necessity of
giving the boat y draught of water too
great for passing the oyerslaUgh near
| Albany. But this. objection to the use of
! wheels expect 20 obviate by al increase
| of the number OF them and consequent
diminution of their diameter. Indeed, 1t
is absolutely necessary to have at least two
revolving in opposite directions to prevent
the tendency 20 rotation which q single
wheel gives to the boat.
Since you were here / have made fair
experiment on the wheel compared with
oars. Two men were placed ut two cranks
| by which a wheel in the stern of the boat
was turned, and with stop watch the
time OF passing over q given distance was
precisely obtained. After making q suff-
cient number of trials the wheel was taken
off and tina same men furnished with oars.
The result of repeated trials was few
seconds n favor of the wheel. It is I'M
ne cessary to observe that the wheel must
have work ed to much disadvantage. The
proper angle of obliquity was not attended
to besides the wings were made with a Il at
surface, whereas certain degree OF curva-
ture was necessary. And in order to give
due submersion to the wheel the axis
was inclined at least 80 or 40 degrees be
low the horizontal line. Tne machinery,
too, was put mp in q very coarse manner.
One important consideration in favor OF
these wheels is the facility with which
they car be defended from all external
injury. By placing them in the stern
thus.
Here Fulton with his quill pen drew
an outline picture OF one of the wheels
fxed with a crank under the stern OF {
boat
Nv foreman promises me to have thu
engine sgoing in the boat in about two
weeks from this time. l shall embrac'
the first opportunity of acquainting yor
with the result of my experiments.
In your last you have bestowed on mi
an appellation am not entitled to; wher
you write sgain, style me Mr., or, If yo'
please, ESQ. am. dear sir, with esteem
ard regard, yours, ETC.
This rough, unfinished draught OF let
ter is neither signed with the writer
name, nor addressed at the end. But
file notation on the top of the folded lette
shows who il was that Fulton was writiu
to- The file reads: Nov. 16, 1905. Let
ter from Robert Hare, Jr., about MI
: Weeden's improvement. Answer to ditto.
The above letter is the "answer." 1t !
not only in itself interesting, but historic
ally important, as showing the dat'
character, and progress of Fulton's e.
. periments.
Broke His Back and Paralyzed.